The Senegalese government has entered high-level talks with South Korean fishing conglomerate DONEWON to strengthen its fisheries value chain, promote local seafood processing, and support the country’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2050. The meeting, held Monday in Dakar, was led by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and featured DONEWON’s Vice President Myoung Lee. The discussions focused on strategic investment in sustainable marine resource management, the modernization of processing facilities, and the creation of jobs along Senegal’s coastal regions.
DONEWON, known for its expertise in industrial fishing and seafood exportation, committed to supporting Senegal through technology transfer, capacity building, and infrastructure development tailored to the needs of local fishing communities. President Faye emphasized that the collaboration aligns with his administration’s broader vision of economic diversification, value addition, and industrial self-sufficiency, as outlined in the national Agenda 2050. This initiative follows Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s recent diplomatic mission to China, where Senegal secured several bilateral agreements in key sectors including energy, infrastructure, and transportation. Analysts view the new engagement with Korea as part of Senegal’s proactive pivot to diversify foreign partnerships beyond traditional Western donors.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Senegal’s marine sector contributes more than 3% to GDP and employs over 600,000 people, both directly and indirectly. However, it remains underdeveloped due to limited processing capacity and over-reliance on raw exports. The partnership with DONEWON is expected to help improve traceability, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand the country’s share of the global seafood market, which the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates to be worth over $150 billion.
